IP Library Granted Patent US 7,859,293
Granted Patent B2
US 7,859,293 · App. 12/354,203 · Granted Dec 28, 2010

Semiconductor integrated circuit

Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,859,293
App. No.
12/354,203
Granted
Dec 28, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a digital circuit and a first-stage register circuit provided in a stage followed by the digital circuit. The digital circuit includes a logic circuit and a register circuit configured to temporarily retain a logic output from the logic circuit. The first-stage register circuit has a function as an alternative configured to test at least one register circuit and a function as an interface which supplies input data from an external input terminal to the digital circuit. The first-stage register circuit retains the input data from the external input terminal in synchronization with a clock signal, supplies the retained data to the digital circuit at the time of system operation, and outputs the retained data from an external output terminal connected to a dedicated output terminal or the digital circuit at the time of testing.

Claims (12)

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:

a digital circuit which includes a logic circuit configured to perform logical operations on supplied data and a register circuit configured to temporarily retain a logic output from the logic circuit; and

a first-stage register circuit provided in a stage followed by the digital circuit and having a function as an alternative circuit configured to test the register circuit and a function as an interface which supplies input data loaded from an external input terminal to the digital circuit in synchronization with an edge of a clock signal, wherein the loaded data is supplied to the digital circuit at a time of system operation or the loaded data is output to an external output terminal of the digital circuit through a dedicated output terminal or through a path bypassing the digital circuit at a time of testing;

wherein the testing is to measure setup time and hold time of the register circuit.

2. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a selection circuit outputting the output of the digital circuit and the output of the first-stage register circuit respectively at the time of system operation and at the time of testing.

3. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a delay circuit configured to adjust the timing of input data to be supplied from the external input terminal to the first-stage logic circuit.

4. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising a delay circuit configured to adjust the timing of input data to be supplied from the external input terminal to the first-stage logic circuit.

5. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first-stage register circuit is provided in plural number and further comprising a combinational logic circuit to which output lines of the plurality of first-stage register circuits are connected as input lines, for enabling only output of one active first-stage register circuit among the plurality of first-stage register circuits to be selectively output, thereby enabling the output of each of the first-stage register circuits to be observed by outputting only the output of the one active first-stage register circuit from one output terminal.

6. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the first-stage register circuit is provided in plural number and further comprising a combinational logic circuit to which output lines of the plurality of first-stage register circuits are connected as input lines, for enabling only output of one active first-stage register circuit among the plurality of first-stage register circuits to be selectively output, thereby enabling the output of each of the first-stage register circuits to be observed by outputting only the output of the one active first-stage register circuit from one output terminal.

7. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the first-stage register circuit is provided in plural number and further comprising a combinational logic circuit to which output lines of the plurality of first-stage register circuits are connected as input lines, for enabling only output of one active first-stage register circuit among the plurality of first-stage register circuits to be selectively output, thereby enabling the output of each of the first-stage register circuits to be observed by outputting only the output of the one active first-stage register circuit from one output terminal.

8. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the combinational logic circuit is configured by combining a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR circuits.

9. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the combinational logic circuit is configured by combining a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR circuits.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2009
From: NIWA, YASUYUKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 022453/0219 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-007230 · Jan 16, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090183043A1 · Jul 16, 2009